


Letters & Coffee

by lavenderspark



Category: Younger (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-14
Updated: 2017-09-22
Packaged: 2018-12-29 22:11:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12094539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lavenderspark/pseuds/lavenderspark
Summary: Set after S4ep11. Liza takes Jay up on his offer.Updated rating for chapter 2!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to get this finished and posted before the finale, but Irma had other plans for me.... I still haven't watched the finale so that I could finish this, it turned out quite a bit longer than expected. I'll be watching it tomorrow!

She stood outside his door, gripping a sheet of paper in her hands. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she exhaled. Opening her eyes, she straightened her spine and knocked on the door.

"Come in," Charles called from inside his office.

Liza opened the door and strode straight to his desk, where he sat looking over some papers. She handed him her letter and stepped back.

He glanced down at the page, "What's this?"

"My letter of resignation," she swallowed, "I took Jay up on his offer."

He looked up at her, eyes wide, then down at the letter, scanning it's contents with a furrowed brow.

She turned toward the door, stopping with her hand on the knob, "I can't watch you with her." She blinked back her tears and left the room.

She held them off until she made it to the ladies' room. Locking herself in a stall, she closed the toilet lid and sat down. Tears streaming down her cheeks, her shoulders shook as she fought to hold in her sobbing. 

She allowed herself ten minutes, then she pulled herself together and wiped her eyes. She stood and straightened her clothes, then unlocked the stall. 

She examined her make up as she washed her hands, wiping away stray mascara with wet fingers. She dried her hands and took a final look at her reflection and left the room.

Grabbing an empty box from the copy room, she walked to her desk and started clearing her things.

She was thankful that most people were out at lunch, she wasn't sure she could handle conversation right now. Especially with Kelsey or Diana. Her eyes started welling up again just thinking of them. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. No more crying at the office.

She filled the box and left.

When she opened the door to the apartment, Maggie was working. “You're home early,” she called from behind a canvas. 

Liza set her box on the island, “I quit,” she replied quietly.

“What?” Maggie looked up from her canvas. Seeing Liza's tear streaked face, she set down her brush and walked toward her. “Oh, honey, what happened?” She asked, putting an arm around her and pulling her toward the couch. 

When they were settled on the couch, Liza laid her head on Maggie's shoulder, finding comfort in her friend. “I love him Maggie,” she whispered.

“I know,” Maggie said, squeezing her shoulder gently. 

“Last night at the awards party, Pauline was there. We were celebrating the book launch too. But she was holding his hand and I...I couldn't stop looking at their hands...I...” she trailed off, closing her eyes as hot tears flowed down her cheeks.

“Shh,” Maggie soothed, rubbing her arm, “Did he hold her hand?”

Liza sniffled, “What?”

“Charles. Did he hold her hand?”

“No. Pauline's was on top of his,” she paused, “but he didn't pull away,” she finished softly.

“Well, it was in public, maybe he didn't want to make a scene.”

“Maybe. But when we left, they left together and Pauline thanked me. She _thanked_ me! She said she's staying there, at the house. In the guest room, but she thinks they're going to get back together.”

“What did Charles say?”

“Nothing. He was getting the car. He doesn't know she told me.”

“I'm sorry sweetie,” Maggie said, resting her head against Liza's.

“Jay figured it out. I couldn't hide it. After what Pauline said. He hugged me and I lost it. When I calmed down a little, he told me his job offer was still on the table. So I took it. I gave Charles my letter this morning. I told him I couldn't watch him with her,” she choked out a sob, “It just hurts too much.”

Maggie hugged her as she broke down, rubbing her back gently. She held her until her sobs had subsided, when she quieted, she pulled back and looked at her friend.

“You should go take a relaxing bath and then try and get some sleep. You've had a stressful few weeks.”

Liza nodded, “You're right. That sounds great right now.”

She slept for several hours, until Maggie shook her awake for dinner. She ate without really tasting the food and crawled back in bed. 

She slept soundly until her alarm pealed through the silence. She woke up feeling physically rested, though groggy with sleep, but still emotionally raw. As she made her way to the kitchen for coffee, she thought about everything she needed to do to prepare for her new job. As much as she would miss her friends, she was thankful for the distraction.

She arrived at the office a few minutes early, checked in with the front desk and Jay came out to meet her.

“Liza, good morning,” he said, “I'm glad you finally took me up on my offer. I'm sorry it's under such circumstances. How are you feeling?”

“Good morning,” she said with a small smile, “I'm ok. Glad to have something to do.”

“Ok, then, let me show you around,” he said gesturing down the hall.

He showed her the copy room and the break room, introducing her to people as they came across them. He talked about the company and her job as they walked. She would be working on a project similar to Millennial with a few other people. He showed her the main conference room that they would use and lastly he showed her the space she would share with the others, walking her to her desk.

“I'll leave you here to get settled. All the information you'll need for logging onto your computer is in the folder there,” he said, pointing to a manila folder on her desk, “and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to call me. My number is programmed on your speed dial. I look forward to working with you.”

“Thank you. For everything,” she said, fighting back tears.

“Anything for a friend,” he said with a smile as he turned and left.

Liza took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She looked around the space she now shared with two other people. She was the only one there so far, so she wandered around the room, familiarizing herself with her surroundings. There wasn't much to see, her desk was at the back of the room, in the corner. The one redeeming quality was that it was close to the window; it was obscured by a bookshelf, but she could see over it when standing and it still shone a friendly light onto her desk. The other two desks faced each other on opposite walls. Both were covered in stacks of paper, but appeared to be mostly organized. It looked as if both occupants were still settling in as well, personal items were apparent, but minimal. She set down her purse and decided to get coffee before setting up her computer.

She was busy looking through submissions for possible publication, when her office mates declared it was lunch time. Startled, she looked at the clock, surprised to see it read twelve thirty.

“You two go ahead, I'm going to finish this chapter, I've only got a couple pages left,” She said looking up from the pages. They shrugged and left.

As she was finishing up the last page of the submission, her desk phone rang. She jumped at the sound and it rang again.

“Liza Miller,” she answered.

“Oh, good, you're still here,” the receptionist said, “You have a visitor.”

“Oh, ok, I'll be right there. Thank you,” confusion straining her voice. She grabbed her purse and walked out. 

She was still in the hallway when she saw him. His profile made her heart stop, his hands in his pockets as he stared at the painting on the wall. Her steps wavered. She made it to the reception desk before he turned and saw her.

“Liza,” he paused, looking at her, eyes pleading, “I was hoping I could take you to lunch,” he finished, brows raised hopefully.

Her head was screaming at her to say no, to turn around and go back to her desk, but her heart spoke for her as she whispered, “Yes.”

His face relaxed into a smile, “Great,” he said, stepping back so she could pass him. Falling in step with her, he opened the door for her, then followed her out.

Her mind raced as they walked. What was she doing? She should not be having lunch with him. Her heart ached just looking at him. She had just worked up the courage to tell him that she couldn't have lunch with him when he stopped. Confused, she stopped and looked around, she hadn't been paying attention to where they were going. She looked at the shop in front of them and recognized it immediately.

“Best coffee around,” she whispered. She hadn't been to the shop since the last time they had run into each other there.

“I keep coming here, hoping I'll see you again, but you seem to have moved on,” he said quietly.

Sensing the double meaning in his words, she turned to him, “Charles, I-”

He held up a hand, “Please,” he reached for the door, “inside,” he didn't want to discuss personal matters in the middle of the sidewalk. She nodded and walked into the shop.

She found an open table at the back and sat down. He joined her and a server appeared to take their order. After they had ordered, Liza tried to collect her thoughts. She decided she needed to tell him the truth, no matter the outcome, he deserved to know. 

“Charles, I need to tell you something. I only hope that you'll understand,” she paused, gathering her courage and looking at him closely to gauge his reaction. “I'm not twenty-seven. I'm forty-one. I lied on my application. There were so many times that I wanted to tell you. I even tried to quit once, but-”

“But I came and found you,” he finished, “I seem to have a habit of doing that,” he looked away.

“Why lie?” He asked, eyebrows furrowed.

“I was desperate for a job. No one wanted to hire a forty year old assistant. I hadn't had a job since I was in my twenties, so I couldn't do anything higher than entry level.”

His brow was still furrowed in confusion, so she continued, “I had just left my husband and needed to pay my daughter's tuition. I quit working when I had her.”

His eyes widened, and he nodded in understanding, “So that's why you connected with Pauline's book.”

“Except that my husband had an affair and then spent our daughter's college fund on a boat,” she replied in an upbeat voice dripping with scorn.

There was a short awkward silence as their food arrived. As soon as the server left, Charles looked at her: head down, poking at her food.

“Liza,” he said, waiting for her to look at him. When she finally looked up, he continued, “I am sorry that happened. That is an awful thing to go through. I applaud you for your strength and determination to provide for your daughter.”

“Really?” She asked, a hesitant smile playing across her lips.

“Yes. You left to better provide for your daughter, not to be selfish. And the lie was a necessary part of that. We all do things we wouldn't normally do to make sure our children are happy.”

Noticing Liza's confused look, he continued, “Pauline is staying in the guest room. The girls missed her and I want them to spend as much time as possible with her before she disappears again.”

“She thinks you're getting back together. She told me at the award party.”

“No,” he said, shaking his head, “I loved her and I was devastated when she left, but I'm not that person any more. I threw myself into my work when she left, closed myself off to everyone. Then I met you. You brought me back, reminded me of parts of myself I had forgotten about. Even with Pauline. You gave me a new way to look at things, at the world. I will be forever grateful to you for that.”

She blushed and looked down at her plate again, not sure how to respond.

“Liza,” he said, calling her eyes back up to his, “my feelings for you haven't changed.”

She searched his eyes, finding nothing but honesty and kindness, with a trace of want held carefully in check. She was taken aback with the intensity of it. She swallowed as butterflies fluttered around her stomach. “Neither have mine,” she breathed.

He smiled and leaned over the table, his voice dropped to a husky whisper, “Then we should have dinner later.”

Not trusting her voice, Liza nodded, her heart racing.

He walked her back to her office, stopping outside the door of the building. He turned to face her, eyes dark with want, she gasped and her stomach flipped. He pulled her to him, bending down to brush his lips against hers, softly at first, asking permission. She moaned and grabbed his tie, pulling him down closer to her. He pulled her tight against him, crushing her mouth with his. He nipped at her bottom lip with a low growl, she gasped as tendrils of pleasure spread through her. She instinctively pulled on his tie, desperately needing him closer. As he brushed his tongue along hers, her knees felt weak and she moaned into his mouth, digging her nails into his chest. He moaned and squeezed her hips, pulling her tighter against him. 

A car horn blared down the street, bringing them back to reality. Charles broke the kiss and rested his chin on her head, catching his breath. She rested her head on his chest, listening to his racing heart. After a few minutes, he pulled back far enough to look down at her. Her lips kiss swollen, eyes still slightly dazed. He smiled, “So, dinner?” He asked.

“Yes. Definitely,” she said.

He pulled away from her and fixed his tie, “Good,” he said and leaned down for another quick kiss, “now go before I get you fired,” he whispered in her ear.

She laughed and turned to go, looking back at him from the door. He had fixed his clothes, but she could still see the want in his eyes, sending a shiver down her spine. She hadn't eaten her lunch, but she didn't think she'd be eating dinner either. With a little wave, she walked into the building.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, initially this story was a one shot. I had a little more in my head, but I wanted to get it posted before too much time had passed. Then I watched the finale and knew I had to add more. So here's the rest!

She had trouble concentrating the rest of the day, and was relieved when it was time to go home. Until she opened her closet. Nothing looked or felt right. She sighed and flopped onto the bed.

“What's going on?” Maggie asked, leaning against the door frame. She raised her eyebrows at the piles of clothes.

“I'm having dinner with Charles,” Liza said from the bed.

“Really? When did this happen?” Maggie asked, stepping into the room to dig through the clothes.

“At lunch. He showed up at the office and took me to the coffee shop. I told him the truth, Maggie,” she said, sitting up. “And he told me that Pauline is only staying at the house to be close to the girls.”

“And he asked you to have dinner.”

“Yes.”

“Then it doesn't matter what you wear,” Maggie said, dropping the dress she was holding.

“What?”

“It doesn't matter what you wear because you won't be wearing it long.”

“Maggie!”

“What? It's true.”

Liza let out an exasperated sigh, “I still have to wear _something_. And now that he knows I'm not twenty-seven, everything just feels wrong.”

“So just dial it back a bit. You don't have to be flashy, but don't go back to frumpy housewife either.”

“I wasn't frumpy!” Maggie raised an eyebrow. “I was _comfortable_ ,” Liza muttered.

“Ok, well this is New York, not the suburbs, so _comfortable_ doesn't work here,” Maggie said, turning to go. “Just make sure it's easy to remove,” she said, leaving the room.

Liza threw a shirt at her, missing as Maggie turned toward the kitchen. Sighing, she retrieved the shirt and started going through her clothes again, putting them away as she went. Finally she had it narrowed down to two dresses. One pale green and the other black. Liza laid them side by side, considering. She liked the green one, it had a nice flirty skirt and a simple scoop neckline while the black one was more simple from the front. The back however, had lace panels, giving it a more sexy look. Not knowing where they were having dinner, she decided on the black one. She hung up the green dress and headed to the bathroom to do her hair and make up. 

When she was finished, she found Maggie. “What do you think?” She asked.

Maggie looked up from her work and took in her friend's appearance. She had left her hair down, the long waves flowing over her shoulders. Her dress covered her from collar bone to just above the knee, but left her arms bare. She wore a pair of simple black heels to complete the look.

“Ok,” Maggie said, appraising, “turn around, I want to see the back.”

Liza turned, feeling nervous. “Ooo, I like that! If Charles can make it through dinner, he is a stronger person than I am,” Maggie said smiling as Liza turned back around.

Liza smiled, relaxed. “Good, he's going to be here in five minutes.”

“Where are you going?”

“I have no idea. He just said he would pick me up at eight.”

“Well, I won't wait up for you,” Maggie said grinning.

“Maggie, it's Thursday, I have to work tomorrow. It won't be that late.”

“Uh huh, just don't wake me up when you get home,” she said, going back to her work.

Liza rolled her eyes and filling her clutch, walked out the door. A car pulled up as she stepped out onto the sidewalk. She was surprised when Charles climbed out of the driver seat to greet her. 

“You look amazing,” he said walking around the car to open her door.

“You can't even see me,” she said, heat rushing to her face as she took his hand to step into the car.

“I don't need to,” he said in a low voice as he helped her settle in her seat.

Her heart skipped a beat and she pulled in a quick breath as she saw the intensity of his gaze. He closed the door and walked around the car. Liza tried to gather her racing thoughts as he climbed in the car and started to drive. She had a feeling she knew why he was driving instead of using a car service. She wasn't sure _she_ would make it through dinner. 

When her mind settled and her heart calmed, she looked out at the buildings going by. “Where are we going?” She asked.

“We're almost there,” Charles said, glancing at her, a small smile playing on his lips. 

She turned to look at him in the low light, his light gray suit seeming to shimmer in the lights of the passing cars. She couldn't make out the color of his shirt, she thought it might be blue, but she did notice that he was wearing the tie that she picked out for him during her short time at the department store. She smiled to herself, appreciating his profile. She was so caught up in watching him, that she didn't notice that they had pulled up to a restaurant until the car stopped.

“We're here,” Charles said, turning to face her. 

“What?” She asked, blinking. He smiled and pointed behind her. “Oh!” She exclaimed, turning to look out the window, “Oh...” she said when she saw the restaurant.

Charles climbed out of the car and walked around to open her door, offering his hand as she climbed out. He handed the keys to the valet, as she stared up at the marquee. Locanda Verde sat in front of her, it was a difficult place to get into, reservations had to be made well in advance. 

“How did you get reservations?” She asked him as they walked to the door.

“I have a standing reservation at the Greenwich, for when I work late at the office and don't want to make the trip to the house, so I can usually get a table here as long as I call ahead,” he explained, holding the door for her.

“Wow. Isn't that expensive?”

He smiled, “I don't use it very often, but it's nice to have.”

His hand found it's way to the small of her back as they stood at the host stand, waiting for their table. The heat of his hand spread through her body followed by a shiver as he gently rubbed her spine with his thumb. _Pull it together Liza_ , she snapped at herself. She took a deep breath, and smiled at the host as they were shown to their table. 

Sitting with a table between them, she started to relax a little. Until she glanced over at Charles and caught his look of open desire. Their eyes clashed, and for a moment the world fell away. Her heart raced and her mouth went dry from the fire in his eyes. 

The sound of someone clearing their throat broke the spell; Liza grabbed her water and gulped down a mouthful, trying to calm the flames inside her. Charles looked over to see a server had appeared at their table with menus. He took them, thanked the server, and handed one to Liza. They looked over the menus in charged silence, both trying to focus on ordering. Once they had both ordered, she felt it was safe to look at him again. He appeared calmer now, though there was still a hint of need in his eyes, it was now in check. 

“How are you liking your new job?” He asked.

“Well, it's only been a day, but it's ok so far. It's different from Empirical, but it has it's similarities.”

They talked about up and coming books and events in the publishing community until their food arrived. They enjoyed their food in silence for a few minutes before the conversation resumed.

“And Jay?”

She looked up at him before answering, knowing what he was really asking, “He's a friend. He wanted to be more, but he saw how I felt about you at the award ceremony. That's when he reminded me of his job offer,” she swallowed, “What about Pauline?”

“I told her that we are not getting back together, that she is only in the house for the girls.”

“How'd she take it?”

“Better than I thought she would,” he paused, “but she asked if there was someone else.”

“What did you tell her?”

“I told her the truth. That I have feelings for someone. That I have for a while.” The heat returned to his gaze as he looked at her. She looked down at her plate, finding it empty, she looked back at him, heart racing. He placed cash on the table and gestured to the server, “Charge this to my room please,” he said when the server appeared.

They were making their way to the door before the server left the table. He held the door into the hotel for her and followed, placing a guiding hand on her back. They made it to the elevators, where a small group of people were waiting. When the doors opened, they filed in with the others, Charles pressing the button for their floor as he made his way to the back of the elevator.

He held her in front of him, one hand on her hip, the other gripping the handle on the wall. She leaned back into him, pressing herself against him, stifling a moan as he squeezed her hip. She closed her eyes, willing the elevator to go faster. It finally reached their floor, and they made their way out. 

He led her down the hall to his room, swiping the card and holding the door open for her. She stepped into the room, but turned back and reached for him once the door was closed. He spun her around and pressed her back against the door, crushing her mouth with his. She moaned and tangled her fingers in his hair, scraping her nails across his scalp. He growled, grabbed her hips and ground into her, she cried out and dug her fingers into his shoulders as he left searing kisses down her neck. He returned to her mouth, she sighed as he slid his tongue across her lower lip, seeking entrance. She granted it, and pushed his jacket off his shoulders. She undid his tie and tossed it on the floor with his jacket. His hands slid up her back, one finding the zipper on her dress, the other burying itself in her hair. She bucked against him as he dragged his nails across her scalp and gently pulled a handful of hair. He moaned with the contact, pushing her back against the door. 

When she reached for the buttons on his shirt, he pulled away enough to look at her, “Are you sure?” He asked gruffly. Her lips were kiss swollen and her eyes were dazed, but she nodded. “Liza, I want you to be absolutely sure. Do you want this?”

She looked up into his eyes, wild with desire, sending shivers through her, “Yes,” she said.

He leaned down and captured her mouth again, pulling her zipper at the same time. He ran his fingers down her exposed spine, moaning as she bucked into him again. Her fingers found his buttons again, pulling the shirt free of his pants once it was open. Her hands roamed his chest, lightly dragging her nails across his skin. She cried out as his fingers clenched around her hair again, pulling her head back to expose her neck. He pushed her dress off her shoulders as he kissed down her neck, dragging his teeth along her clavicle. She pulled her arms free of her dress, letting it fall to the floor. She shivered as he lightly grazed her skin with his fingers, moving slowly up toward her breast. She sucked in a breath, waiting, only to let it out in a whimper as his hand trailed back down her ribs, his mouth hot on her shoulder. Desperate, she pushed at his shirt, trying to remove it. He pulled his hands away, continuing to make his way down her body with his mouth. He kissed between her breasts, kneeling as he removed his shirt. Her hands dug into his hair, twisting and pulling as he nipped at her navel, his hands gliding up her thighs as she writhed.

“Charles...” she rasped. 

He looked up at her, his fingers tracing the edge of lace on her thigh. Her eyes were pleading, scalding him with her need. He stood, placing both hands on the door, pressing the length of his body against hers, both moaning as skin met skin. He devoured her mouth with his, fingers scratching against the door as she bucked into him. She mewled when he throbbed against her, her hands frantically searching for his buckle. Finding it, she worked it open, pushing it out of the way to get to the fly of his pants. He gasped as she stroked him, his hands curling into fists. She pushed his pants down off his hips, dropping them to the floor. He toed off his shoes and stepped out of his pants, pulling her away from the door. She wrapped her legs around his waist, kicking her shoes off as he lifted her up off of the floor. He growled as she rolled against him, his fingers digging into her back as she kissed him, biting at his bottom lip.

He carried her to the bed, yanking the blankets back before laying her down. She scooted back, while he removed his socks. He looked down at her, resting on her elbows on the bed, watching him.

“I was wrong earlier,” he said. She lifted an eyebrow and cocked her head. “You are stunning,” he finished as he climbed onto the bed, straddling her. She blushed and looked away, but he grabbed her chin and gently turned her face back to his, “And this time, I can see you.”

The fire in his eyes consumed her, her whole body was in flames as he kissed her. She shifted, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him down with her. He propped himself up on an elbow, dragging a hand across her abdomen. She arched as he finally palmed her breast, keening as he squeezed her nipple. She cried out as he replaced his hand with his mouth, grazing the tender skin with his teeth. His hand slid down to her hip, his lips kissing their way to the lace below her navel. She writhed, fingers fisting in his hair. He hooked a finger under the lace, pulling gently. She lifted her hips and he moved off of her to allow her to pull her legs free of the garment. She pulled him back to her, claiming his lips with hers. Her hands traveled his torso, scratching across his chest, digging into his shoulders. He placed a knee between her legs as his hand roamed across her abdomen and down her thigh. She shivered as his hand glided up her inner thigh, whimpering when it slid away. His breath hitched, when her hand found its way under the waistband of his boxers. He bucked and cursed under his breath as she roughly stroked him. He pulled away from her and stood, taking a condom from the nightstand. Removing his boxers, he rolled it on and returned to the bed. 

He settled between her hips, hands on either side of her head. He kissed her softly, pulling her lower lip into his mouth. She moaned, her whole body tingling, she writhed against him. He released her lip, cursing again as she hooked her feet into the back of his knees, urging him into her. She bucked into him as he slid inside her, moaning as he filled her. He tried to be still for a moment, but she was frantic, rocking against him until he matched her. Snapping his hips as he slammed into her, holding the edge of the mattress for leverage. She wrapped her legs around his waist, nails biting into his back, she arched into him. He felt her tense around him, her legs squeezing his hips as she cried out. He quickened his pace and kissed her as he felt his own release building. She tensed again, arching as he slammed deep inside her, both crying out as he did it a second time. He shuddered as she rocked her hips against him, riding out the waves of her second orgasm. They laid together, panting for a few moments, enjoying the afterglow.

Eventually, he kissed her and helped her untangle her legs as he gently slid out of her. Stepping into the bathroom, he quickly cleaned up and returned to the bed, helping Liza up so she could do the same. When she returned, he had fixed the pillows that had fallen and was laying against the headboard in his boxers. She retrieved her underwear from the floor and picked up his shirt, putting both on before climbing into bed with him. She curled into his side, laying her head on his chest. She closed her eyes, listening to his heart beat, content. 

She must have fallen asleep, because the next thing she knew, the clock on the nightstand read two o'clock. She sat up with a start, “Oh, shit!” She exclaimed, scrambling out of bed. “I have to go, I have to work in a few hours.”

Charles blinked, looking at the clock he said, “I'll call a car for you.”

She put her dress back on and fixed her hair while he made the call. When she emerged from the bathroom, he handed her a bottle of water from the minifridge. 

“Thanks,” she said, sitting next to him on the bed.

“The car will be here in ten minutes,” he told her. “When will I see you again?”

“This weekend? I don't know how you want to handle this with Pauline still in town.”

“I'll worry about Pauline. I'll look at my schedule and call you tomorrow. This is definitely more than a one time thing,” he said, looking her in the eye.

“I know,” she said smiling, “I should go.”

He stood and walked her to the door, “I could wait with you.”

“No, you have to work tomorrow too. You should get some sleep,” she said cupping his cheek.

He leaned into the caress, grabbing her hand in his, he leaned down and kissed her. She broke away as the heat began to build between them again.

“I have to go,” she whispered, grabbing the doorknob.

“If you still worked for me, I could give you the day off,” he said with a grin.

“If I still worked for you, this wouldn't be happening,” she grinned back.

He sighed, “Fine. Go,” he said, releasing her.

“I'll talk to you tomorrow,” she said, opening the door. 

“Yes,” he nodded.

“Goodnight, Charles,” she said, stepping out into the hallway.

“Goodnight, Liza,” he said.

She dozed in the car on the ride home, waking when it stopped at her apartment. She tried to be quiet when she came in, hearing Maggie's voice in her head, _Told you so._ She slipped off her shoes and walked softly across the living room to her bedroom. When she finally climbed into bed, she sighed, smiling to herself.

Her phone pierced the silence, she sat up, groggy with sleep. The clock read five, _Who would be calling at this hour?_ she wondered. The caller ID read “Unknown” and fearing the worst, she answered it.

“Caitlin?”

“No, it's Josh.”

She sighed and leaned back against the headboard, she was not awake enough to deal with this right now. She finished the conversation and woke Maggie, if she was going to Ireland, she wasn't going alone. While Maggie packed and got ready, she went to the office and explained the situation to Jay. He agreed to let her go with the promise she would be back to work on Monday. On the way to the airport, she sent Charles a text, _Going to Ireland. Josh is getting married. I'll call when I get back._ She sighed, leaning her head against the window. She had no idea what was waiting for her in Ireland, but she knew what was waiting for her at home. Or rather, **_who_** was waiting for her and she hoped the trip would be short.


End file.
